HERE you will find collected articles and presentations by one of our most knowledgeable and respected JFK researchers: educator, essayist, and historian John Simkin. Please Bookmark this page for updates.
While studying at the Open University John Simkin became convinced by the ideas of Jerome Bruner on active learning. Since he began teaching history in 1978 he has attempted to produce materials that enable active learning to take place. This has included educational computer programs such as Attack on the Somme, Wall Street and The Russian Revolution. The internet provides the best opportunity so far to make active learning a reality.
Over the last twenty years he has written several history books including Gandhi (1987), The Vietnam War (1988), Race Relations in the United States (1988), Slavery: An Illustrated History of Black Resistance (1988), Hitler (1988), Stalin (1987), The Roman Empire (1991), Making of the United Kingdom (1992), Expansion, Trade and Industry (1992), The Medieval Village (1996), The Norman Invasion (1996), etc.
In September, 1997, along with Judith Harris Simkin, Mr. Simkin established the Spartacus Educational website and over the next six years produced online material for the Daily Telegraph, the European Virtual School and The Guardian and its educational website, Learn. He was also a member of the European History E-Learning Project (E-Help), a project to encourage and improve use of ICT and the internet in classrooms across the continent. He currently teaches several courses at the University of the Third Age, including Understanding the Modern World: The Romans to the Information Society and History of Ideas.
Mr. Simkin has published ten e-books, Charles Dickens: A Biography (October, 2012), First World War Encyclopedia (October, 2012), Assassination of John F. Kennedy Encyclopedia (November, 2012), Gandhi: A Biography (December, 2012), The Spanish Civil War (December, 2012), The American Civil War (December, 2012), Henry VII (September, 2015), Henry VIII (September, 2015), Anne Boleyn (September, 2015) and Mary Tudor (September, 2015). He is the author of, Using New Technologies to Enhance Teaching and Learning in History (December, 2012), and in September 2015 was one of the historians interviewed for the BBC documentary, The Hollywood Spy.
As of October, 2019, the Spartacus Educational website contained 21,036,905 words and 33,196 sources. Spartacus Educational is committed to producing free content, especially to those countries that find it difficult to purchase books.
You can find a more detailed autobiography here: John Simkin
This what ChatGPT AI said on 26th May 2023:
Spartacus Educational is an educational website that provides a wide range of resources and materials related to history, politics, and social issues. It was created by John Simkin, a former history teacher, and is named after the famous Roman gladiator and rebel leader, Spartacus.
The website offers articles, biographies, and primary source documents on various historical topics, covering a wide range of periods and subjects. It aims to promote critical thinking and provide in-depth information to educators, students, and the general public.
Spartacus Educational covers a diverse range of topics, including world history, wars, revolutions, famous individuals, social movements, and more. The content includes well-researched articles, images, and interactive resources to engage and educate visitors.
The website is known for its emphasis on presenting historical events and figures in a balanced and unbiased manner. It encourages users to explore different perspectives and interpretations, fostering a deeper understanding of complex historical events.
Overall, Spartacus Educational is a valuable resource for anyone seeking reliable and comprehensive information on a wide range of historical topics.
Simkin’s work on Spartacus Educational has garnered recognition and acclaim. His dedication to research and education has made him a respected figure within the history community. While specific personal details about John Simkin may be limited, his contributions to history education through the Spartacus Educational platform have left a lasting impact.
*****
The AM/WORLD PROJECT

However, it is not clear that the Kennedy administration was aware of the AM/WORLD project. Arthur Schlesinger explained to Anthony Summers in 1978 why the CIA did not want President Kennedy to negotiate with Fidel Castro during the summer of 1963. He pointed out that the head of the CIA’s Cuba unit, Desmond FitzGerald, masquerading as an American Senator, had told Rolando Cubela that a coup against Castro would have the full backing of the United States Government: “The CIA was reviving the assassination plots at the very time President Kennedy was considering the possibility of normalization of relations with Cuba – an extraordinary action. If it was not total incompetence – which in the case of the CIA cannot be excluded – it was a studied attempt to subvert national policy.” (10)
Spartacus Educational is widely recognized as an invaluable online resource. To help keep Spartacus a viable research tool, you can help by doing the following: (1) Do not use ad-blocker. (2) Share Spartacus pages via Twitter, Facebook, etc. (3) Make a small donation or a small monthly subscription.
*****
What is History?
LBJ
Reports circulated in Washington that the White House was pushing the Baker investigation to embarrass Lyndon Johnson: “Kennedy wants to use the Baker affair to dump Lyndon from the ticket next year.” (5) Robert Kennedy later denied this: There were a lot of stories that my brother and I were interested in dumping Lyndon Johnson and that I’d started the Bobby Baker case in order to give us a handle to dump Lyndon Johnson. Well, number one, there was no plan to dump Lyndon Johnson. That didn’t make any sense. Number two, I hadn’t gotten really involved in the Bobby Baker case until after a good number of newspaper stories had appeared about it…. There were a lot of stories then, after November 22, that the Bobby Baker case was really stimulated by me and that this was part of my plan to get something on Johnson. That wasn’t correct.” (6)
ADDENDUM:
While on the subject of LBJ, throughout his presidency, he surreptitiously recorded his telephone conversations. All told he recorded over 800 hours of discussions on the telephone. He told close aides that he did this for two main reasons. (i) It would help him write his memoirs; (ii) He could use this information to apply pressure (blackmail) on politicians and businessmen.
*****
JFK Assassination: What Happened in the Trauma Room
*****
The Lyndon B. Johnson Tapes and the JFK Assassination
*****
The Death of Bernardo De Torres
*****
Kennedy and King Family Members and Advisors Call for Congress to Reopen Assassination Probes
*****
The Secret Files of James Jesus Angleton
*****
Ben Bradlee and the death of Mary Pinchot Meyer
*****
Yuri Nosenko and the Warren Report
*****
The KGB and the JFK Assassination